Matthew Thomas cooked up the whole idea of the Mail Order Angels, but when his own angel appears in the form of Sophia Webster, at first his feet get colder than a Wyoming blizzard. Sophia tries to make a new start in Wyoming by staying true to her word and helping Matthew establish the newspaper, but come spring, it’s back East for her--unless Matthew’s change of heart can convince her otherwise.

Question:
What personal experiences have you drawn from in writing this book?

Answer:
Oh, this is a fun one for me! My regular job is as the editor of my city's hometown newspaper. We cover local news, from the big stories to small. Our city paper started in 1894, later than the newspaper in Angel Vale. But I drew on some of the experiences of the excitement I feel in discovering a new story to report and the fun I've had while learning a new vocation—writing the news—just as my heroine, Sophia, learned when she moved to Angel Vale.

Lynette Sowell is the award-winning and best-selling author of more than 20 titles for Barbour Publishing, Heartsong Presents, and Abingdon Press. In 2009, Lynette was voted one of the favorite new authors by Heartsong Presents book club readers. Her historical romance, All That Glitters, was a finalist in ACFW's 2010 Carol Awards. When Lynette's not writing, she works as a newspaper editor and columnist for the Copperas Cove Leader-Press. Lynette was born in Massachusetts, raised on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, but makes her home on the doorstep of the Texas hill country with her husband, their dog, along with a duo of cats who have them well-trained. She loves reading, cooking, watching true crime dramas, and is always up for a Texas road trip.

Up for grabs today is an e-copy of Mistletoe Mistake! To
enter, leave a comment telling us you'd like to enter. Remember to
leave your email address so I can contact you if you win! To protect
yourself from spam, you can use the following format:
emailATserverDOTcom.

Christmas Mail Order Angels:
A dying town populated by miners eager to settle down. . .but not a single marriageable woman lives in Angel Vale, Wyoming. The women of Merville, Maine, have lost too many men to the Civil War and to the sea. When the Ladies Aid Society receives the request for mail order brides, eleven matches are made. Enjoy the first six novellas in the collection by Darlene Franklin, Susan Page Davis, Cynthia Hickey, Brandi Boddie, Jennifer AlLee, and Teresa Ives Lilly

Thursday, October 22, 2015

Continuing our fun week of Christmas novella giveaways (Keep checking back and entering, y'all!), we have Patty Smith Hall & Teresa Ives Lilly here today answering 2-Question interviews to satisfy our reader-curiosity! Great heavenly days! There are FOUR giveaways happening in this post. Check out the red writing next to each author bio.First off, here's Patty:

Is she cursed?

All of her life, Margaret Cobb has felt cursed, the port wine stain on her cheek a punishment for her mother’s death. But she dreams of a home and family. When the opportunity arises to be a mail order bride for a man in Angel Vale, Wyoming, Margaret risks everything familiar for her chance at happiness, only to be rejected once again. That is until assayer Avery Waldwin offers to marry her.

Or the answer to Avery’s prayers?

Avery Waldwin needs a mother for his young daughter, even if it means marrying a woman he’s never met. A marriage of convenience was all he’d hoped for, but there’s something about the kind, Godly woman that draws him to her. As the Christmas season approaches, both Avery and Margaret discover there’s only one present they each want—the gift of love!

Question #1:Hi, Patty! How did you decided on this title for your book? Answer:I chose this title because my heroine, Margaret has never had a place where she felt safe and accepted just for who she was. Her entire life, she’s been judged based on what she looked like physically and has never had the opportunity to show people who she really is. It’s not until she meet Avery and his daughter that Margaret finally feels comfortable enough to let down her guard.Question #2:If your life were a book, what would be the title of it? Answer:Good question. Probably something like ‘Beauty among the Ashes.’ For some odd reason, most people think I’ve had an easy breezy life, that I’ve never had any troubles or struggles. I think its because I’ve always had this positive attitude toward the world in general. The truth is I struggled over the years—with physical pain, with depression. Both of our daughters were born premature and we almost lost them. We lost our home in the housing market crash a few years ago. But God has used those times in my life to shape me and to grow my faith—without the hard times, I wouldn’t be the person I am today and more importantly, I wouldn’t have been ready for the writing ministry God had planned for me.

PattySmith-Hall is a multi-publishedauthor with Love Inspired Historical and Heartsong. She currently serves as president of the ACFW-Atlanta chapter. She calls North Georgia her home which she shares with her husband of 30+ years, Danny; two gorgeous daughters and a future son-in-love. Her next release, A Home for Christmas is now available on Amazon.

Giveaway!! Patty is giving away a copy of her E-book A Home For Christmas. To enter, leave a comment telling us you'd like to enter. Remember to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win! To protect yourself from spam, you can use the following format: emailATserverDOTcom.

Also with us today is Teresa Ives Lilly:

When Henrietta agrees to become a mail order angel for Benjamin Capel, she moves to Angel Vale Wyoming eager to begin working in the town’s eatery. Although happy with her job and attracted to her husband-to-be, she discovers that Benjamin has several secrets. What does he do for a living, why does talking about money upset him so much, and who actually owns the Angel Vale Eatery? Will these questions be answered so she can freely say, " I Do," or does God have a different plan for her life in Angel Vale?

Question #1:

Hi, Teresa! What sparked the idea for your particular story in the series?Answer:

I was so excited to be included on this series and once I knew the over all story, I brain stormed until the story just popped into my mind. I'm not a cook, so it's a bit strange that I wrote about a cook. However, I was trying to think of a job she could have in town, little did I know that her cooking would end up to be the central theme of the whole book.

Question #2:

What personal experiences did you draw from to write the story?

Answer:

Not a thing since I do not cook. She's very clumsy and that's not me, although I was trying to be humorous and the only thing that makes me laugh is when someone falls down. My character does it several times.

Teresa Ives Lilly lives in Texas with her husband, near her grown children. She loves to write Christian Historical Novellas, although she dabbles in contemporary as well. You can see all her books at www.teresalilly.wordpress.com. She loves to hear from her readers at teresaiveslilly@yahoo.com

Giveaway!!
Teresa is giving away one Amazon copy of her E-book Cooking Up Christmas and THREE PDF copies!!! To
enter, leave a comment telling us you'd like to enter. Remember to
leave your email address so I can contact you if you win! To protect
yourself from spam, you can use the following format:
emailATserverDOTcom.

Christmas Mail Order Angels: A dying town populated by miners eager to settle down. . .but not a single marriageable woman lives in Angel Vale, Wyoming. The women of Merville, Maine, have lost too many men to the Civil War and to the sea. When the Ladies Aid Society receives the request for mail order brides, eleven matches are made. Enjoy the first six novellas in the collection by Darlene Franklin, Susan Page Davis, Cynthia Hickey, Brandi Boddie, Jennifer AlLee, and Teresa Ives Lilly

Twenty-year-old Levi Harper needs help. Life is difficult after his father and brother die in a mine cave-in but when pneumonia takes his mother, Levi can't manage the mine and his four younger siblings alone. He signs up for a mail-order-bride. Virginia Pepper is determined to escape her father’s unrelenting anger and all-too-ready fists. She’ll do anything to get on that train…even agree to marry a stranger. But she has no intention of trading one abusive man for another. Paper marriage or not, she’ll be on her way first chance she gets, no matter how sweet and kind Levi seems.As Christmas approaches, Levi counts down the days with a waiting, hopeful spirit. Can the Christmas season create a path for Levi into Virginia’s heart?

Question #1:

Hi, Tanya! What sparked the idea for your particular story in the series?

Answer:

Darlene Franklin put out a call for authors to participate in a mail order anthology with a different twist. I love writing westerns so I jumped at the chance to research the period and also, to meet some new authors. I’ve always been fascinated by mail order brides. I wondered what terrible circumstances would force a woman to leave everything and go into the unknown, placing her fate in the hands of the stranger. Also, what circumstances would force a man to offer marriage to a woman sight unseen?My imagination went to work and Virginia and Levi were born. Both are in dire circumstances and both are looking for a way out.

Question #2:

What personal experiences did you draw from to write the story?

Answer:

Advent wreaths have been a part of my family’s Christmas tradition ever since my children were little. Lighting a candle and saying a prayer about the hope the birth of Christ brought to world has always been a special joy. I wanted to write about hope, especially for characters in a desperate situation. Researching the meaning behind the leaves and colors of the Advent wreath has added depth to this rich tradition. Our Christmas wreath will be even more special this year.

Tanya Stowe is an author of Christian Fiction with an unexpected edge. She fills her stories with the unusual…gifts of the spirit and miracles, mysteries and exotic travel, even an angel or two. No matter where Tanya takes you…on a journey to the Old West or to contemporary adventures in foreign lands…be prepared for the extraordinary.

Tanya is generously giving away a copy of her E-book The Evergreen Wreath. To enter, leave a comment telling us you'd like to enter. Remember to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win! To protect yourself from spam, you can use the following format: emailATserverDOTcom.

A dying town populated by miners eager to settle down. . .but not a single marriageable woman lives in Angel Vale, Wyoming. The women of Merville, Maine, have lost too many men to the Civil War and to the sea. When the Ladies Aid Society receives the request for mail order brides, eleven matches are made. Enjoy the first six novellas in the collection by Darlene Franklin, Susan Page Davis, Cynthia Hickey, Brandi Boddie, Jennifer AlLee, and Teresa Ives Lilly

When Phoebe Ross's employer dies, leaving her with a wedding gown, Phoebe feels she has no choice but to answer the call for mail order brides to Angel Vale, Wyoming. When she arrives her groom-to-be is nowhere in sight. With the other brides claimed, she sets off to find her groom. He is nothing what she expected.

Question:What was your inspiration for your Answer:When the call came out for the stories and it was mentioned that I would make the covers, I began looking at stock photos and came across the woman in the fancy dress. I already associated Wyoming with Black Hills gold, so I wondered what such a fancy woman might be doing there and the plot line of an inherited wedding dress came to me.Question #2:What personal experiences have you drawn from in writing this book?" Cindy, Lynette Answer: Not very personal, considering the time period, but I believe we’ve all been in circumstances where we felt very out of place and alone. In the story, Phoebe Ross takes the only path she believes is available to an educated single woman with no job prospects. Marriage to a man she’s never met. During the story, the reader is taken along as Phoebe and Alex get to know each other and discover what matters most.

Multi-published
and Amazon Best-Selling author Cynthia Hickey had three cozy
mysteries and two novellas published through Barbour Publishing. Her
first mystery, Fudge-Laced Felonies, won first place in the
inspirational category of the Great Expectations contest in 2007. Her
third cozy, Chocolate-Covered Crime, received a four-star review from
Romantic Times. All three cozies have been re-released as ebooks
through the MacGregor Literary Agency, along with a new cozy series,
all of which stay in the top 50 of Amazon’s ebooks for their genre.
She had several historical romances release in 2013, 2014, 2015
through Harlequin’s Heartsong Presents, and has sold half a million
copies of her works. She has taught a Continuing Education class at
the 2015 American Christian Fiction Writers conference. She is active
on FB, twitter, and Goodreads, and is a contributor to Cozy Mystery
Magazone blog and Suspense Sisters blog. Her and her husband run the
small press, Forget Me Not Romances, which includes some of the CBA’s
well-known authors. She lives in Arizona with her husband, one of
their seven children, two dogs and two cats. She has five
grandchildren who keep her busy and tell everyone they know that
“Nana is a writer”. Visit her website at www.cynthiahickey.com

Giveaway!! Cynthia is giving away a copy of her E-book Christmas Gold. To enter, leave a comment telling us you'd like to enter. Remember to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win! To protect yourself from spam, you can use the following format: emailATserverDOTcom.

A dying town populated by miners eager to settle down. . .but not a single marriageable woman lives in Angel Vale, Wyoming. The women of Merville, Maine, have lost too many men to the Civil War and to the sea. When the Ladies Aid Society receives the request for mail order brides, eleven matches are made. Enjoy the first six novellas in the collection by Darlene Franklin, Susan Page Davis, Cynthia Hickey, Brandi Boddie, Jennifer AlLee, and Teresa Ives Lilly

Isabella Johnston lost her husband to the sea, and she wants to get as far from the coast as she can. When she leaves Maine to marry a cowboy in Wyoming Territory, she reasons that Edwin Gray will be safe on the ranch. But every time he is late for an engagement, she finds herself worrying. What could be horrible enough to make him late for their wedding?

Question:

Hi, Susan! What personal experiences did you draw from to write the story?

Answer:

The Reliable Cowboy is a classic mail-order bride romance. The heroine, Isabella, is a little bit like me. She left her home and friends in Maine and ventured west. I did that, too, when I married my Oregon-born man. But ours was different in that we had met several times and gotten to know each other. We had corresponded for about four years.

Susan Page Davis is the author of more than sixty published novels. A Maine native, she now lives in Kentucky. She’s a two-time winner of the Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award, and also a winner of the Carol Award and the Will Rogers Medallion, and a finalist in the WILLA Awards and the More Than Magic Contest. Visit her website at: www.susanpagedavis.com .

Giveaway!! Susan is giving away 2 copies of her E-book The Reliable Cowboy, or winners may choose a paperback copy of another of her westerns: Almost Arizona, Protecting Amy, or The Oregon Escort.

To enter, leave a comment telling us which book you'd like to win. Remember to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win! To protect yourself from spam, you can use the following format: emailATserverDOTcom.

A dying town populated by miners eager to settle down. . .but not a single marriageable woman lives in Angel Vale, Wyoming. The women of Merville, Maine, have lost too many men to the Civil War and to the sea. When the Ladies Aid Society receives the request for mail order brides, eleven matches are made. Enjoy the first six novellas in the collection by Darlene Franklin, Susan Page Davis, Cynthia Hickey, Brandi Boddie, Jennifer AlLee, and Teresa Ives Lilly

Sunday, October 18, 2015

Continuing our fun week of Christmas novella giveaways (Keep checking back and entering, y'all! There'll be a new book featured every day until the 23rd!), we have Darlene Franklin here today answering two questions to satisfy our reader-curiosity!

Becky Patterson escapes the stifling life at her father’s parsonage for an exciting life as a mail-order bride. . .only to learn her potential groom is a part-time preacher, Jake Underwood. Her dreams of working alongside Jake in his store stall when an itinerant preacher wants to ordain Jake as pastor of the growing church. Will Becky accept God’s calling on her life—or will she reject Jake’s love and the future God has planned for them?

Question #1: Hi, Darlene! How Did You/and or Your Publisher Come to This Title?

Answer:Jacob’s Christmas Dream is a deliberate play on Jacob’s dream of a ladder. However, my hero doesn’t dream at any point in the book. He doesn’t even dream about marriage. But he does sign up for his Christmas angel, and Becky is his dream come true. Available on Amazon.com.

Question #2: If Your Life Were a Book, What Would Be the Title?

Answer:

I might call my autobiography “Living at the Crossroads of Love and Grace.” That’s my tagline, and it’s how I see my life. Wherever life takes me, God is in the middle of it.

Best-selling author Darlene Franklin’s greatest claim to fame is that she writes full-time from a nursing home. She lives in Oklahoma, near her son and his family, and continues her interests in playing the piano and singing, books, good fellowship, and reality TV in addition to writing. She is an active member of Oklahoma City Christian Fiction Writers, American Christian Fiction Writers, and the Christian Authors Network. She has written over fifty books and more than 250 devotionals. Her historical fiction ranges from the Revolutionary War to World War II, from Texas to Vermont. You can find Darlene online elsewhere at her website, darlenefranklinwrites.com, her Amazon Author Page and her Facebook Author Page.

Darlene has generously offered to give away an e-copy of Jacob's Christmas Dream! To enter, leave a comment telling us you'd like to be entered. Remember to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win! To protect yourself from spam, you can use the following format: emailATserverDOTcom.

A dying town populated by miners eager to settle down. . .but not a single marriageable woman lives in Angel Vale, Wyoming. The women of Merville, Maine, have lost too many men to the Civil War and to the sea. When the Ladies Aid Society receives the request for mail order brides, eleven matches are made. Enjoy the first six novellas in the collection by Darlene Franklin, Susan Page Davis, Cynthia Hickey, Brandi Boddie, Jennifer AlLee, and Teresa Ives Lilly

Saturday, October 17, 2015

Today through October 23, we're having Christmas In October here on the Sweet South Blog!

Several kind authors from the Christmas Mail-Order Angels series have agreed to appear on the blog and give away an e-copy of their novella. Also, we'll be running a Rafflecopter giveaway for an e-copy of the entire Volume 1 set, which includes the first six books of the series.

Here is the schedule for the week:

October 17th Martha Lou Rogers -- A Christmas Blessing

October 18th Darlene Franklin -- Jacob's Christmas Dream

October 19th Susan Page Davis -- The Reliable Cowboy

October 20th Cynthia Hickey -- Christmas Gold

October 21st Tanya Stowe -- The Evergreen Wreath

October 22nd Patty Smith Hall -- A Home for Christmas and Teresa Ives Lilly -- Cooking Up Christmas

October 23rd Lynette Sowell -- Mistletoe Mistake

***All winners will be announced November 1.***

To start us off, we have the lovely Martha Rogers, author of A Christmas Blessing. She's here answering a 1-Question Interview about her novella.

Riley Thornton needs a mother for his three children. Annelle Pugh needs to get away from her domineering father. She knows nothing about children, but answers the call for mail-order brides to Wyoming thinking she can learn on the job. Despite cooking and housekeeping disasters, tries hard to win the hearts of the children and Riley. Will Christmas bring the blessing the entire family needs to be complete?

Question:

Hi, Martha! What was your inspiration for your hero's occupation in this book?

Answer:

Although I’m a true city girl in Texas, horses and ranch life have fascinated me since childhood. Whenever possible, a rancher or a cowboy will be my choice for a hero. Although I live in Texas where ranches abound, Wyoming is a place with as many if not more cowboys than Texas, so having my hero be a rancher seemed quite logical to me. I grew up watching John Wayne, Roy Rogers, and Gene Autry, and others portray cowboys in the movies and James Arness on TV. I wanted myhero to be as brave as John Wayne and James Arness.

Martha Rogers is a free-lance writer and the author of the Winds Across the Prairie and Seasons of the Heart series as well as the novella, Key to Her Heart in River Walk Christmas and Not on the Menu in Sugar and Grits. Her latest series, The Homeward Journey, has three books, Love Stays True, Love Finds Faith, and Love Never Fails. She was named Writer of the Year at the Texas Christian Writers Conference in 2009 and is a member of ACFW. She writes the weekly Verse of the Week for the ACFW Loop. ACFW awarded her the Volunteer of the Year in 2014. Her first electronic series from Winged Publications, Love in the Bayou City of Texas, debuted in the spring of 2016.. Martha is a frequent speaker for writing workshops and the Texas Christian Writers Conference. She is a retired teacher and lives in Houston with her husband, Rex. Their favorite pastime is spending time with their eleven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Martha has generously offered to give away an e-copy of A Christmas Blessing! To enter, leave a comment telling us you'd like to be entered. Remember to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win! To protect yourself from spam, you can use the following format: emailATserverDOTcom.

A dying town populated by miners eager to settle down. . .but not a single marriageable woman lives in Angel Vale, Wyoming. The women of Merville, Maine, have lost too many men to the Civil War and to the sea. When the Ladies Aid Society receives the request for mail order brides, eleven matches are made. Enjoy the first six novellas in the collection by Darlene Franklin, Susan Page Davis, Cynthia Hickey, Brandi Boddie, Jennifer AlLee, and Teresa Ives Lilly

Thursday, October 15, 2015

When Jed and Merrilee discover they co-own the same dog, mayhem--and a little bit of match-making--breaks loose. What do you get when you involve a match-making dog, a piano teacher, and a stargazing, "womanizing" blacksmith? A shoo-in for animal-lovers and romance fans alike. A light, fluffy romance, but the author's voice makes this story sing.

Dogwood Blossom Bride by Merrilee Ferrell

A beautiful tomboy and a cowboy scarred by his adventurous sister's death lock horns when his niece begins to emulate the pretty woman's reckless ways. The characterization is delightful and skillfully done, especially with the main characters and the niece, who displays very believable behavior for a child her age. On the other hand, the emotions between the hero and heroine seem a bit rushed and melodramatic as the romance propels virtual strangers to confessions of love and marriage plans within a few short days. Also, the hero tearfully pours out his deeply personal past wounds to the heroine within hours of meeting and deciding he doesn't trust her. The faith element came across a bit forced. Overall, though, a sweet, clean story.

The Lumberjack's Bride by Pam Hillman

City girl Lucy Denton takes cooking lessons from a lumberjack's elderly mother whose kind, over-protective son becomes a threat to Lucy's Chicago-bound heart. This story took me back to the time of brawny lumberjacks, outdoor cooking ranges, logger’s games, and mess hall tents. The hero starts out a bit grouchy--which I loved. He’s super protective, and when he sees anyone in danger, he turns all bossy and command-man. It’s flat adorable. Then there’s the heroine. She’s delicate and feminine, coming from “up north.” No one thinks she’ll last long in the logging camp, but she cinches up her boots and gets to work learning how to trek the woods and cook with the rest of the women. Ending with a twist I didn’t see coming, this story had me at, “Timber!” and I couldn’t put it down.

***I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.com in exchange for my honest opinion.

Psalms 27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Nehemiah 8:10 says the joy of the Lord is our strength. The Bible also says, “In His Presence is fullness of joy.” God himself gives joy. Joy comes from our relationship with Christ and our closeness with him. Our salvation is a well of joy we can continually draw from. When nothing else goes right, we can rejoice because our name is written in heaven (Luke 10:20). If your name isn’t written in heaven, it can be. The gospel is how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures in I Cor. 15:3. Jesus loves you and desires to save you. Find out more HERE.

Luke 17:14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.

The ten lepers in the Bible were healed “as they went.” This is not talking about getting ahead of God, but when we pray, believing, we should prepare our life for the answer. Ask it, and act like it. If you’re praying for rain, carry an umbrella.

If praying for or saving up for new musical instrument, learn how to play as much as you can before.

If you're praying for a publishing contract for that awesome book you've written, keep writing new material and meeting potential readers and studying the craft!

If praying for a husband, consider all the things you’d be doing to care for and respect a husband and give God, your dad and your brothers the same time and courtesy. Start scheduling “dates” with God. See more HERE.

If praying for a family of your own, learn to cook, plan meals, and baby-sit. If you live at home with parents and siblings, volunteer to help your mother out and take charge of keeping house for a week.

If praying for a job, start keeping that schedule, filling that time with volunteer work at your house, church, or a local nursing home until you get an interview.

A great example of this stepping out in faith is my friend Terri who prayed for a child for eight years. I’ve been following her on Pinterest for a while, and she would always be pinning little baby things to a board called “Faith Is the Substance…” from the verse Hebrews 11:6, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

I would see her pinning those baby things, knowing for years they had hoped for a baby, yet it hadn’t come to pass. And oh me of little faith, *face palm* I’m ashamed I thought it now, but I kind of felt sad for her, you know. She was still hoping for a baby after all this time.

Well, let me eat a piece of humble pie here, and confess that in February of this year I got to see Terri and meet her gorgeous baby girl, Gracie, for the first time.

God: I knew all along when she would be born, and she came in my perfect timing.

Me: Yes sir, God.

God: You didn’t think I could do it did you?

Me: *biting my lip to keep from grinning* I’m sorry God.

Another cool example of preparing while praying, is the couple Eric and Leslie Ludy. They wrote a book together about their courtship—a sweet love story and an EXCELLENT book on relationships—When Dreams Come True. Reads like a novel, but it’s a true story. Love that book.

In the book, Leslie talks about how before they married, when they were just pals, she was jealous of Eric’s future wife, because even before he knew who she would be, he wrote poetry to his future wife. He wrote a song for her. In all his interactions with other ladies, he behaved as if he was already married. In his heart, he already belonged to the wife he’d asked God for, and he was protecting their relationship even though he didn’t know who she was. How romantic is that? Seriously.

Eric prayed and Eric prepared, believing God would answer. What a beautiful gift when they finally married and Leslie knew how well he had guarded his life as a single man and had saved himself for her.

We also should ask God for what we’re waiting on, then prepare for the answer. But use common sense. If you pray God will heal your broken leg, don’t go river dancing before it’s well. If you pray “even so come quickly, Lord Jesus,” don’t go jump off the roof so you can get a head start on the rapture. We have to use common sense. :P

Preparation involves Separation.

You may feel you’ve been “passed over,” while you watch your friends enjoy blessings you are still praying for. The waiting means God is preparing you for something wonderful. Stay faithful to Him. Don’t settle. While we are waiting, God is working. Working on us, on others, on our circumstances.

James 4:10 says, Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

James 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Saturday, October 3, 2015

Her Christmas Hero by Lorraine Beatty -- Gemma Butler has a grand vision to transform Dover, Mississippi's fledgling Christmas celebrations and bring visitors to the town. It's also the single mom's last chance to provide for her son and revive her event planning business. But Gemma's not the only one with something to prove. Linc Montgomery has the weight of the family business on his shoulders. And he'll go down swinging before he'll let anyone disrupt the traditions he holds dear. Yet when a storm threatens to destroy the holiday, he'll join forces with the beautiful planner and discover she just might be the love he's been searching for. (Contemporary Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Anna's Healing by Vannetta Chapman -- Anna Schwartz's life is changed forever when she suffers a spinal cord injury and suddenly finds herself learning to live as a paraplegic. Three people--Chloe Roberts, Jacob Graber, and Ruth Schwartz--join forces to help Anna through her darkest days. Chloe is an Englischer who writes for the local paper. Jacob has recently arrived in town and stays on as a hired hand at her uncle's. And Ruth is her grandmother, a woman of deep faith and a compassionate spirit.Then one morning Anna wakes and finds herself healed. How did it happen? Why did it happen? And what is she to do now? Her life is again turned upside down as the world's attention is drawn to this young Amish girl who has experienced the unexplainable. (Contemporary Romance from Harvest House Publishers)

An Amish Christmas Gift by Amy Clipston, Kelly Irvin, and Ruth Reid -- Naomi's Gift by Amy Clipston: Naomi has started to think that she isn't meant to find love, but she might receive more than she ever hoped for this Christmas. A Christmas Visitor by Kelly Irvin: Frannie Mast returns to Bee County for Christmas, but her heart stays back in Missouri with an Englisch farm boy. An Unexpected Joy by Ruth Reid: Abigail has driven other suitors away, but can Micah find a way to show her he cares? (Contemporary Romance Novella Collection from HarperCollins Christian Publishing [Thomas Nelson and Zondervan])

Team Bride by Valerie Comer -- After meeting as part of a wedding party, can Corbin convince Sarah he’s ready to settle down and make her the head of her own Team Bride, or will their past keep getting in the way? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Intertwined by Jennifer Slattery -- Abandoned by her husband for another woman, Tammy Kuhn, an organ procurement coordinator often finds herself in tense and bitter moments. After an altercation with a doctor, she is fighting to keep her job and her sanity when one late night she encounters her old flame Nick. She walks right into his moment of facing an unthinkable tragedy. Because they both have learned to find eternal purposes in every event and encounter, it doesn’t take long to discover that their lives are intertwined but the ICU is no place for romance….or is it? Could this be where life begins again? (Contemporary Romance from New Hope Publishers)

Every Girl Gets Confused by Janice Thompson -- Katie Fisher and Brady James may be a match made in heaven, but that doesn't seem to guarantee them a happily ever after accompanied by angelic choirs. Katie's parents are nagging her to get out of Dallas and come home to tiny Fairfield where her former boyfriend Carson is waiting for her, ready to rekindle their relationship. Oy vey! What's a girl to do? And will she ever be able to wear that gorgeous wedding dress she won? (Contemporary Romance from Revell - A Division of Baker Publishing Group)

Love in the Details by Becky Wade -- Eight years have passed since Holly last saw her high school sweetheart Josh. Now the wedding of Josh’s best friend has brought Josh back to Martinsburg, Texas. As they work behind-the-scenes to plan a beautiful November wedding for their friends, Holly and Josh are forced to confront painful reminders of what might have been. Holly broke up with Josh all those years ago to give him a better life, but it turns out that she was the future he’d always dreamed of. (Contemporary Romance from HarperCollins Christian Publishing [Thomas Nelson and Zondervan])

Contemporary Women's Fiction:

Another Way Home: A Chicory Inn Novel by Deborah Raney -- Danae and Dallas Brooks have been trying unsuccessfully to start a family for years, and when Dallas refuses to discuss adoption, it effects their once-happy marriage. Despairing of ever having a family of her own, Danae decides to pour her passion and energies into volunteer work with a newly opened women’s shelter in town. Then heart-wrenching events on Thanksgiving weekend threaten to pull her entire family into turmoil—and leave them all forever changed. (Contemporary Women's Fiction from Abingdon Press)

An Endless Christmas: A Novella by Cynthia Ruchti -- On the way to Christmas with his family, Micah asks Katie to marry him. She says no, but there is no getting out of Christmas now. The Binder family celebrates every Christmas as if it were their last. Too many people, too much snow, and too little room should be a recipe for disaster. But sometimes too much is just enough. Especially when it's Christmas. (Contemporary Women's Fiction Novella from Worthy Inspired)

General Fiction:

A Reason to Stay: A Texas Gold Novel by Kellie Coates Gilbert -- s the host of her own television news show, Faith Marin works to expose the truth for her viewers. But in her personal life, she's anchored her world with firm boundaries in order to hide a family history she'd like to forget. Her pro bass fisherman husband Geary's life is an open book, and unfortunately his busybody family doesn't know the meaning of boundaries. Deception and crippling differences soon derail their tender relationship, leading Faith to believe her only option is to end the marriage. But while Faith considers whether divorce is the only answer to their issues, tragedy strikes and her heartrending decision is interrupted. With her life in the balance, Faith finds that the one she has been shutting out may be the very one she cannot bear to lose. (General Fiction from Revell - A Division of Baker Publishing Group)

Historical Romance:

The Lady and the Mountain Promise by Misty M. Beller -- Guatemalan American Lilly Arendale has fought the anger of prejudice all her life. Now, orphaned and alone in the mining town of Butte in the Montana Territory, the effects of racism have left Lilly with a one-year old daughter and a fierce desire to avoid men at all costs. Marcus Sullivan is a born adventurer, and the new preacher in town. He’s his ways may be unconventional, but he’s determined to add some joy into the lives of these townspeople. Especially the beautiful young mother who won’t have anything to do with him. (Historical Romance, Independently Published)

Fire and Ice by Mary Connealy -- Skilled rancher Bailey Wilde has been living disguised as a man for a while, but when Gage Coulter comes to drive her off her homestead, he quickly realizes he's dealing with a woman--a very tough, very intriguing woman at that. Five thousand acres of his best range land is lost to him because Bailey's homestead is located right across the only suitable entrance to a canyon full of lush grass. Gage has to regain access to his land--and he's got to go through Bailey to do it. Can these two independent, life-toughened homesteaders loosen up enough to earn each other's respect--and maybe find love in the process? (Historical Romance from Bethany House [Baker] Publishing)

The Sound of Silver by Rachelle Rea -- After Dirk rescues Gwyneth from the Iconoclastic Fury, she discovers that faith is sometimes fragile and hope is not as easy as it may seem. Now truly orphaned yet not alone, Gwyneth continues her quest to learn more about the love of God preached by Protestants she once distrusted. Dirk's quest is to prevent his sullied name from staining hers. Will his choice to protect her prove the undoing of her first faltering steps toward a Father God? Once separated, will Dirk and Gwyneth's searching hearts ever sing the same song? (Historical Romance from WhiteFire Publishing)

A Refuge at Highland Hall by Carrie Turansky -- The Great War shakes the world of a spirited young woman and the brave British pilot she loves, taking her from the busy streets of London to her family’s magnificent country estate, and sending him into the war-torn skies over France. Can their love and faith see them through the heartbreak of war? (Historical Romance from Waterbrook/Multnomah [Random House])

Romantic Suspense:

Flee from Evil by Connie Almony -- A pastor with a past uses his underworld connections to try and save the child of the woman he wronged many years ago. (Romantic Suspense, Independently Published)

Deadlock by DiAnn Mills -- Special Agent Bethany Sanchez never dreamed her new partner in solving violent crime would be Special Agent Thatcher Graves, the same agent who'd sent her brother to jail. An attempt on their lives turns up the heat and brings them closer together. Two murders have rocked the city of Houston, and a third victim might yield the clue that will help them zero in on a killer. This could be the case of their careers . . . if they can survive long enough to solve it. (Romantic Suspense from Tyndale House)

Speculative Fiction:

A Time To Speak (Out Of Time Series Book 2) by Nadine Brandes -- What happens when you live longer than you wanted to? Parvin Blackwater wanted to die, but now she's being called to be a leader. The only problem is, no one wants to follow. The Council uses Jude's Clock-matching invention to force "new-and-improved" Clocks on the public. Those who can't afford one are packed into boxcars like cattle and used for the Council's purposes. Parvin and Hawke find themselves on a cargo ship of Radicals headed out to sea. What will the Council do to them? And why are people suddenly dying before their Clocks have zeroed-out? (Speculative Fiction from Enclave Publishing)

Embers by Ronie Kendig -- A prince flees for his life when his sister transfers her fire-wielding gift to him, leaving the kingdom vulnerable against its most powerful enemy. (Speculative Fiction from Enclave Publishing)

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Natalie Monk writes award-winning and ECPA bestselling historical romance. She is currently brainstorming her sixth writing project. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency.
A country girl from the time she could shimmy under a string of barbed wire, Natalie makes her home in North Mississippi. She proudly wears the label “preacher’s kid,” is a homeschool graduate, a nonpracticing certified wedding planner, and a former fence post digger. She loves sweet tea, girl talk (usually about books), porch swings, and watching old movies with her family. Her goal in writing, and in living, is to bring glory to her Savior, Jesus Christ.